Five of the Biggest European Summer Transfers

September 2, 2015

Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg to Manchester City) €75 million

After smashing the clubs transfer record to sign English midfielder Raheem Sterling for €60 million earlier in the summer, the English Premier League’s early pace setters eclipsed that last weekend signing 24-year-old Belgian midfielder Kevin De-Bruyne from Wolfsburg. After weeks of negotiations between the two clubs, coach Manuel Pellegrini has finally got his hands on the player he believes to be the final piece in his expensively assembled jigsaw. Most football betting guides now have last season’s runners-up to go one better this time around and supporters at the Etihad Stadium have one of Europe’s most exceptional talents to admire.

Raheem Sterling (Liverpool to Manchester City) €69 million

One of the most controversial signings of the summer saw Manchester City spend a staggering €69 million on 20-year-old England international Raheem Sterling from Liverpool. His acrimonious departure from Anfieldafter an indifferent 2014-15 season,made him public enemy number one on the Red half of Merseyside but his performances at the start of the new campaign have been nothing short of exhilarating – capped off by his first goal in front of the home fans last weekend against Watford.That his undoubted talent would once again rise to the surface was one of the best football bets on offer and Sterling is an integral part of coach Manuel Pellegrini’s new look team – a Premier League winners medal followed by a starring role at next summer’s European Championships would be the perfect way to silence the critics.

Angel di Maria (Manchester United to PSG) €63 million

Having never looked entirely happy playing at Old Trafford under Louis van Gaal, Argentine midfielder Angel di Maria hopped across the channel this summer to join French champions PSG for a cool €63 million. Having had five seasons in Spain with Real Madrid, he failed to live up to expectations in the English Premier League but now has the chance to rediscover his form with new coach Laurent Blanc. Still only 27-years-old, this slightly built but elegant play-maker is prone to injury and the capital club will hope that the player, who’s last two transfer fees has totalled €138 million, can reproduce the form that made him one of the world’s greatest players only a few years ago.

Douglas Costa (Shakhtar Donetsk to Bayern Munich) €30 million

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and when Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola paid Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk €30 million for 24-year-old Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa, most football bet predictions pointed towards a huge error of judgement by the legendary tactician from Catalonia. After the opening rounds of the new Bundesliga season, those predictions have been made to look a little premature to say the least with Costa producing some inspired displays featuring wonderful pieces of skill. On the betting exchanges, you wager against Guardiola at your peril, the mercurial Brazilian may just turn out to be the bargain of the summer.

The English giants have been in need of a quality experienced midfield enforcer for several years. Now they finally have one in the shape of 31-year-old German World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger. The player, who has won every major trophy in the game, has already made his mark at Old Trafford helping the club to return to the Champions League group stages after a year’s absence. Coach Louis van Gaal is a formidable presence around the club and Schweinsteiger knows him well after their time together at Bayern. If you compiled a list ofexpert predictions from the best betting sites for the 2105-16 season that the combative, confident German would be a success at Manchester United would surely be near the top.